49 U.S. Code § 46102 - Proceedings

(a) Conducting Proceedings.— Subject to subchapter
II of chapter
5 of title
5, the Secretary of Transportation (or the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security with respect to security duties and powers designated to be carried out by the Under Secretary or the Administrator of the Federal Aviation Administration with respect to aviation safety duties and powers designated to be carried out by the Administrator) may conduct proceedings in a way conducive to justice and the proper dispatch of business.

(b) Appearance.— A person may appear and be heard before the Secretary, the Under Secretary, and the Administrator in person or by an attorney. The Secretary may appear and participate as an interested party in a proceeding the Administrator conducts under section
40113(a) of this title.

(c) Recording and Public Access.— Official action taken by the Secretary, Under Secretary, and Administrator under this part shall be recorded. Proceedings before the Secretary, Under Secretary, and Administrator shall be open to the public on the request of an interested party unless the Secretary, Under Secretary, or Administrator decides that secrecy is required because of national defense.

(d) Conflicts of Interest.— The Secretary, the Under Secretary, the Administrator, or an officer or employee of the Administration may not participate in a proceeding referred to in subsection (a) of this section in which the individual has a pecuniary interest.

In subsection (a), the cross-reference to chapter
7 of title
5 is omitted as unnecessary.

In subsection (b), the text of 49 App.:1481 (4th sentence words after last comma) is omitted as obsolete. The words “National Transportation Safety Board” were substituted for “Board” in 49 App.:1481 (4th sentence) because 49 App.:1655(d) transferred all functions, duties, and powers of the Civil Aeronautics Board under titles VI and VII of the Federal Aviation Act of 1958 (Public Law 85–726, 72 Stat. 775) to the Secretary of Transportation to be carried out through the former National Transportation Safety Board in the Department of Transportation. Title VI includes sections
602 and
609 [49 App.:1422, 1429], that provide for appeals to the Civil Aeronautics Board (subsequently transferred to the National Transportation Safety Board), and section
611(e) [49 App.:1431(e)], that provides for appeals to the National Transportation Safety Board. Under 49 App.:1902(a), the National Transportation Safety Board in the Department of Transportation was replaced by an independent National Transportation Safety Board outside the Department, and 49 App.:1903(a)(9)(A) gave the independent Board the authority to review appeals from actions of the Secretary under 49 App.:1422, 1429, and 1431(e).

In subsection (c), the words “vote and” are omitted as surplus.

In subsection (d), the words “officer or employee of the Administration” are substituted for “member” for clarity and consistency in the revised title and with other titles of the United States Code. The words “hearing or” are omitted as surplus. The words “referred to in subsection (a) of this section” are added for clarity.

Amendments

2001—Subsec. (a). Pub. L. 107–71, § 140(b)(1), inserted “the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security with respect to security duties and powers designated to be carried out by the Under Secretary or” after “(or”.

Subsec. (b). Pub. L. 107–71, § 140(b)(4), substituted “, the Under Secretary, and the Administrator” for “and the Administrator”.

Subsec. (c). Pub. L. 107–71, § 140(b)(2), (5), substituted “, Under Secretary, and Administrator” for “and Administrator” in two places and “, Under Secretary, or Administrator” for “or Administrator”.

For transfer of functions, personnel, assets, and liabilities of the Transportation Security Administration of the Department of Transportation, including the functions of the Secretary of Transportation, and of the Under Secretary of Transportation for Security, relating thereto, to the Secretary of Homeland Security, and for treatment of related references, see sections
203(2),
551(d),
552(d), and
557 of Title
6, Domestic Security, and the Department of Homeland Security Reorganization Plan of November 25, 2002, as modified, set out as a note under section
542 of Title
6.